Movable bed pneumatic stratifier



July 4, 1950 A. H. UTLEY MOVABLE BED PNEUMATIC STRATIF'IER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1947 .VIV I 3 MN m 0 O m 5].. m,v I EI Q Q L z w u m w S S H.

|NVENTOR, A.H,UTLEY ATTORNEYS,

July 4, 1950 A. H. UTLEY MOVABLE BED PNEUMATIC STRATIFIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 27, 1947 INVENTOR) A. H. UTLEY ATTORNEYS Patented July 4, 1950 UNI T ED STATES PAT ENT QFF'ICE MOVABLE BED PNEUMATIC STRATIFIER Azle Herbert Utley, Auburn, Calif.

Application February 27, 1947, Serial No. 731,235

2- Claims. 1

This invention relates to a dry mineral concentrator.

An object of the invention is the construction of a machine which will operate very efiiciently when handling dry material.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a compact, portable machine that will operate highly efiiciently in recovering valuable metals from ores.

' A still further object of the invention is the construction of a machine in which a novel and efiicient vibrating table or classifier is employed.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a machine employing a, novel nuggettrap as well as a control valve device; said control valve device being employed for governing the amount of the airpassing to the vibrating table or classifier.

Another object is the construction of a machine that can be easily transported, as well as operated by a single person, which machine will produce highly efficient results.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, showingpart of the cover broken away.

Figure 2 is an elevated side view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a, top plan view of the machine with the cover removed.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view takenon line 4-4, Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 55, Figure- 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 6-6, Figure 4, and looking in the direc-v tion of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 'I--'I, Figure 4, and looking in the direc-. tion of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 8-8, Figure 4, and looking in the. direce tion of the arrows. I

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view in side elevation ofthe machine, part being shown in sections.

-;.removable cover 3.

2; Figure 11 is a view in side elevation of the gear to which is fixedly attached the flat spur-carrying ring.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of an mounted at 5 on said cover 3. The hopper 4 extends into the machine as is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. A link 6 is pivotally connected at 1' to the hopper while a link 8 is pivotally connected at its lower end to a fixed link 9-, the upper end of link 8 being pivotally con nected at I0 to link 6. Link 9 isfixedly supported upon the side of the machine I. can swing the hopper 4 to its forward position as shown in Figures 2 and 4, or he may swing the hopper 4 in the opposite direction. By swinging the hopper 4 the rubber strap II canbe moved closer to or placed farther away from the vibrating table or classifier I2. This position- .ing of the lower end of hopper 4 and its rubber strip or strap controls'the amount of ore that passes to the vibrating classifier. The rubber strap or strip II is secured across the outer face of one side of hopper 4.

The vibrating table or classifier I2 comprises an upper receiving deck I3 which has at its for ward end a screen I4; the. screen being held in position by metal strips: I5 which are secured to I the inner faces of the sides I6 of the classifier I2. The classifier I Z has a lower deck H, which may be known as a table, or the bottom of the classifier.

with a number of parallel screens for very finely screening the one coming in contact therewith.

, The vibrating classifier I2 is mounted at its inner vationof the earcasing.

casing and classifier.

the lower or outer end of the classifier I2. These end on link lfi, which link is pivotally mounted at 20 upon the side of the primary casing I. There are two links I9, one at each side of the A pair of links 2| support links 2I are pivotally mounted on the housing or casing I while their lowerends. are pivotally connected to said classifier, Fig. 4. Therefore,

the. classifier It is permitted to reciprocate with-.1

A hopper 4 is hingedly'.

The operator On this deck or bottom I! is a con denser l 8; this condenser comprises a frame p less air to enter the classifier, as he desires.

in the casing I by reason of being supported by said movable links l9 and 2 l'.

A nugget-trap 22 is held in the lower end of classifier l2 by frictional engagement only. This nugget-trap 22 comprises a metal frame 23 which has a transverse plate 24 that fits under the floor an upstanding portion 21. I 1

On the base or bottom 2 of the casing l is a drawer 28, which is divided by a transverse piece 29. This drawer 28 is placed under the vibrating classifier l2. The casing l is provided with a hook-stop 30, Fig. 4, which is adapted to be engaged by the upstanding rubber strip 3| projecting from the top of the drawer 28; this produces not only a stop for preventing the drawer from being shoved too far into the casing, but

3 it acts as a closuremeans for one end of the compartment of the casing I under the vibrating classifier.

To control the amount of air passing into the classifier l2, when the machine. is in operation, a valve device 32 is employed. This valve device comprises a shaft-like body 33, Fig, 5, on

which is mounted a suitable clip 34 (Figs. 4 and 5) in which clip 34 is secured the lower portion of a piece of fiexible'material'35. .This piece of material 35 may be formed of leather or rubber and is provided to close, if the operator desires,

the inner end of the compartment formed between the deck !3 and the bottom I! of, the classifier [2. However, whenthe operator desires, he can grasp handle 36 and swing the valve device to any desired position so as to permit more or The air is driven rearwardly'within the casing I by means of the rotary fan or blower 31, Fig. 9. This blower 31 is of the usual type. The shaft-like body 33 is pivotally mounted on casing l at one end by means of. screw 38, whereas screw or any like means 39 fixedly connects handle 36 with the shaft 33 whereby movement of the handle 36 w*" positively operate the control valve device 32.

A pair of springs 45 are attached at the inner ends to the sides of the vibrating classifier; while the outer endsof said springs 40 are attached to the inner ends of wire links M Wire links 4| are hooked through transverse strip 42.which strip is fastened at its ends to the sides of the casing I, Fig. 3. .Therefore-said springs 40 tend to move the classifier towards the discharge 'end of the machine when the classifier :is moved to theiright or front end of the machine during 'the vibration movement of the classifier. 1

The power shaft" 43 is provided outside the casing l with a crankrh'andle 44. .Within the casing l is a gear casing 145:.in which is mounted gear 46 (Figs. 8 and 11)." This gear 46 is fixedly secured upon the power shaft 43. Fixedly se-.

cured to one side of gear is afiat ring 41. Ex-

tending from theouter face of the flat ring 41 1 are a plurality of pins or spurs 48. When the 1 gear 46 is rotated these pins or:spurs 48 engage to the upstanding finger 5| while its other end is pivotally connected at 54 to plate 55; this plate 55 is fixedly secured to the bottom of the vibrating classifier l2. Therefore when the operator turns the power shaft 43 gear 46 will rotate causing the spurs 48 to intermittently engage dog 49, swinging shaft 50 to the left a short distance which results in pulling the vibrating classifier to the left, against the action of springs 43. When the particular spur 48 passes ofi dog 49 springs 40 immediately pull the classifier l2 to the right, which is the cycle of the reciprocating movement of said classifier.

At the same time the rocker shaft is operated so is the blower, for the small cog-wheel 5B, meshing with large gear 49, is rotated; gear 56 is mounted on shaft 51, which shaft is suitably supported upon the casing I. A belt pulley 58 is driven by the rotation of the cog 56. Mounted on belt pulley 58 is a'belt 59. Belt 59 is also mounted on a small belt pulley 60. Belt pulley 60 is fixed to shaft 6|, Fig. 9, which shaft Bl carries the rotary fan or blower 31. Therefore it will be seen that when the power shaft 43is.

rotated the blower 31 will be simultaneously operated, as well as the vibrating classifier [2.

In Fig. 12 the illustration represents an extra multiple concentrating'table that may be used on certain occasions in operating the machine. This concentrating table would be used in the larger machines and in the more expensive machine where amore thorough recovery'would be required, whereas the single concentrating table shown in Fig. 13 would be used in a less expensive machine. In Fig. 12 two-condensers I8 are shown; Fig. 13 also shows-two condensers Hi.

In operation the material or ore to be tested is dumped into the hopper 4 and then the machine is started by the operator turning crank arm 44. The material is passed to the classifier l2 the quantity of the passing being controlled by the adjustment of the hinged hopper on the casing. The material spreads out on the upper deck l3 (Fig. 3) and is then fed to the classifier screen I4. The material that is small enough to pass through is subjected toa current of air under the deck-and screen. The volume or power of this currentrof air is controlled by' the valve device 32 hereinbefore described. The

light material goes through with the air while the heavier concentrate drops on the bottom-01 the classifier and is'fed into a static condenser l8, the valuable concentrate passes through this condenser l8 into another air current and is classified into the two bins of drawer 28 formed by the partition 29, onebin being for the heavier, coarser concentrate,wand the other bin for the finer, lighter concentrate. Now the material is fed by the table or bottom I! to the static condenser 1'8, the lighter of this material is repelled by a pulsating air pressure, that will not allow it to pass through the condenser and holds it static while it is floated. off and over the static condenser into the tailings. v

The larger material'that will not pass through the classifier'screen passes over-the condenser and is dumped on the table below, where it is fed into the nugget-trap 22. All the heavier,

valuable concentrate is retained in a lower com-- partment while the light, worthless material is changes or alterations may appear to oneskilled.

in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the .appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casing provided with a top, of a vertical hopper provided with front and rear sides, said hopper having its lower end extending down through said top of said casing, a hinge secured to said top and to the rear side of said hopper, a stationary link secured to the side of said casing, a pair of links pivotally connected together, one of the links of said pair being pivotally connected to said stationary link, means pivotally connecting one of said links of the pair to the rear side of said hopper, said hopper provided with a horizontal flexible strip secured to the front side thereof, said flexible strip extending below the lower end of said hopper, a vibrating classifier provided with a deck, said classifier within said casing and below the lower end of said hopper, said flexible strip contiguous to said deck of the classifier, whereby the adjustment of said pivotally connected links will vary the position of said flexible strip with respect to the deck of said classifier, whereby the volume of material from said hopper on to said deck can be controlled, and manually operated means for imparting movement to said classifier.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a movable classifier in said casing provided with a flat discharge end, a nugget-trap for said discharge end, said nugget-trap comprising a frame provided with sides and with a screen-supporting transverse plate near its inner end, said sides being notched above said transverse plate, said discharge end of said classifier engaging the top face of said transverse plate, and also positioned in said notches on the sides of said frame, and said frame provided with a central screen division and also with an upstanding screen-supporting portion near its outer end.

AZLE' HERBERT UTLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,521 Chisolm June 22, 1869 147,388 Greenleaf Feb. 10, 1874 430,335 Calkins June 17, 1890 462,810 Detar et al Nov. 10, 1891 562,750 Woodrufl June 23, 1896 695,064 Look Mar. 11, 1902 735,788 Major Aug. 11, 1903 1,088,682 Deister Mar. 3, 1914 1,131,710 Kidney Mar. 16, 1915 1,232,947 Malen July 10, 1917 1,353,451 Burns Sept. 21, 1920 1,361,674 Boylan Dec. 7, 1920 1,612,500 Ezbelent Dec. 28, 1926 1,811,117 Farnell June 23, 1931 1,866,951 Soulary July 12, 1932 1,937,597 Schmidt Dec. 5, 1933 1,986,864 Tolley Jan. 8, 1935 2,017,740 Ulrich Oct. 15, 1935 2,105,282 Dolby Jan. 11, 1938 2,139,944 Fiscel Dec. 13, 1938 2,283,051 Fuller May 12 1942 2,303,033 Elliott Nov. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 524,190 Great Britain July 31, 1940 

